: Schulz, W.; Simon, G.; Urbassek, H.M.; Decker, I.

Abstract
The laser fusion cutting of metals is modelled theoretically for high cutting velocities assuming that light absorption occurs according to the classical Fresnel formulae. For a beam polarised in the cutting direction, a threshold intensity for efficient cutting exists. The dependence of the cutting depth and the mean absorbed laser power on the laser intensity and the mode number is discussed. An optimal choice for the laser focus position and the beam divergence is derived.